The Blue Falcon by Robyn Carr Read Free Book Online Page B

And I will speak strongly in your favor.”
    “ But my sister -- ”
    “ Chandra must not take Conan’s kindness to heart. He is chivalrous and courtly and would not dismiss her rudely, but in selecting a bride -- ah! He must have a woman!” She patted Edwina’s hand. “ Now promise me you’ll be bold.”
    “ I’m not a bold person, madam. I don’t know how to be.”
    “ Worry not, darling. Go. Make yourself beautiful. I think perhaps your knight will come to you.”
    Edwina smiled shyly, intrigued by the prospect. She had not aspired to so much. Conan had never paid any attention to her and therefore she had not considered him a possibility. But Medwin would be pleased. Her reluctance to speak her preference had made her father irritable.
    “ But lady,” she said suddenly, “ Tedric has made his honest proposal to my father -- ”
    Udele’s laugh cut her off. “ Do you think Tedric will challenge Sir Conan? Go, and smile prettily at your knight. That will be enough.”
    Udele watched her leave and sat for a long while in the carved oaken chair in her chamber. With deliberate slowness, she allowed her maids to array her in a gown of great beauty: the same rose color, embellished with a gold filigree girdle and long, elaborate train. Gold bracelets and anklets adorned her, and small cloth slippers graced her feet. When she was readied, she made her way to the party below, intent on facing her son.
     
    ***
    Chandra flitted about the hall, delighted to be greeting the gathering warriors. Along with Conan’s younger sister, Edythe, she kept the serving maids in check and saw that everyone’s hand held a filled mug. The chore was anything but burdensome.
    She watched Conan from a safe distance, studying his mannerisms and even taking a close look at those he chose to have around him. His closest companions, Mallory and Thurwell, stayed near to him, though they joked and re counted details of the tourney with other knights. Tedric s eemed to stay much with his own family, keeping a fair distance from Conan and his men. From what Chandra could judge, Thurwell was not terribly far from the amount of ale needed to goad him into a scene. This older, surly knight grew more boisterous and looked more and more distastefully toward Theodoric’s family with every long pull from his cup.
    Chandra marveled at Conan’s strength. He lifted his mug to his mouth with his left hand, his right bound and hanging loosely at his side. She knew he would not grimace with pain any more than he would actually cry over the injury. More probably, she thought with a smile, he would fall headlong into drink and not remember until morning’s light that he had been injured at all.
    The crowd around Conan had thinned. Thurwell was drawing a bit too near to Tedric; there was a danger that a battle of words would soon ensue. It would please the masses well to see yet another battle. Mallory, the one most often plagued with a quick temper, dallied not far away with Edythe, a most unlikely pair in Chandra’s mind. Mallory neared thirty years and Edythe, a bit younger than Chandra, was barely flushed with womanhood.
    Chandra made her move quickly, aware that her chance for a few words with Conan had arrived.
    “ How might I ease the pain of your wound, sir knight?” she asked softly.
    Conan smiled. “ Let me look on your lovely face, damsel. That will ease the worst pain.”
    “ You treat me too kindly, Conan. There are so many here who seek your attention.”
    “ None so lovely as you, fair Chandra.”
    “ What will you do now, Conan?”
    “ Now? Do you mean until the call to ride to the king comes again?”
    “ But you have only just returned! Surely you will not have to leave again so soon!”
    “ I think not too soon. I ride to Stoddard Keep soon to see how matters fare there. My father expects trouble from the castellan and his family. Now that I am able, I will likely manage that small manor, and house my men within the Stoddard